Christmas Sampler

Well, Christmas has come and gone yet again. I didn't manage to take very many pictures, but here are a few...

A rousing game of connect four!
Decorating cookies with Grancy and Aunt Pat.
Remembering that light and new life will come again.
Tio takin' it easy after his NY "hot" bicycle incident! (note the bandaid over his left eye.)

And a video of Riley sharing one of his favorite presents with Davey. (didn't spend the time figuring out how to center it, or this would never get posted!)

Little Davey

Just like everything else, little Davey needs his turn, too. Here he is one day old and I've already mostly forgotten what it was like to have a newborn.

Do you think Grandma Cheryl remembers?

Tio Nathan has no friggen clue...




But, blink, and you have a little monster on your hands!!
(In response to Allison's comment I have posted a more accurate monster representation...please ignore the splattered food on the wall...)

Little Riley

So, because I had a hard time keeping two children still long enough to take a picture for our christmas card this year, I found one from a while ago. While I was looking through old pictures I just kept going back further and further until there was little Riley looking back at me. Seeing his sweet pudgy little baby body made me want to cry! How could my big boy ever have been that little? I had almost forgotten...

Here are a few of the photos I was looking at. They are from our first Fall back in Vermont when Riley was about 20 mos. old. We were at our great friends Dae and Neill's cabin enjoying the country life! (It's their excavator.)

Getting the Tree

Sometimes I just can't believe how completely life returns full circle while raising children. Last weekend we went to get our Christmas tree, and lo and behold, Riley found it absolutely necessary to have a complete meltdown over who knows what. It didn't last all that long and he was eventually able to rejoin us with minimal enthusiasm. Outing salvaged. The thing about it is that I know of an almost identical picture. Little (or, embarrasingly, not so little? I can't remember) Amanda sulking behind a Christmas tree. I even remember the day a bit, a feeling of knowing my behavior wasn't cool, but being unable to stop, having already started down that path...

At least little Davey was plenty happy about the whole excursion.

Do you think it was big enough? It was further cinched down than this, but was too big to fit through the bailer. It was a fun car ride home...a few interesting looks from other drivers!

Now we are enjoying it at home. Riley spends time daily on his little step stool arranging and rearranging the ornaments.

Tea Party

Not a great picture, but somewhat captures the party. Note Davey's overturned cup!
Riley took this one of Davey and the following one of me. All by himself, I might add!
These might be the last pictures for a little bit because we are experiencing some computer difficulties. Had to get a new hard drive recently and there have been some issues getting everything up and running. I currently cannot download pictures from my camera. Hopefully my tech savy husband will have it up and running soon!